The six-year contract with Russia's national airline had 18 months left on it, but United confirmed on Friday that it had been terminated.
'In light of the events in Ukraine, we have withdrawn Aeroflot's sponsorship rights,' said a club spokesperson.
'We share the concerns of our fans all over the world and extend our heartfelt condolences to those affected.'
Aeroflot's branding is already being removed from Old Trafford, where the airline's name is painted across the car park behind the Stretford End, with work set to begin as soon as possible.
United's flight with Aeroflot to Spain for their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday was cancelled just hours before Russia launched its military intervention in Ukraine.
Titan Airways, based in the United Kingdom, flew the team to Madrid.
Following the invasion, Prime Minister Boris Johnson banned Aeroflot from operating in the UK on Thursday.
Other clubs, such as Schalke in Germany, are also ending their ties with Russian companies and are no longer sponsored by Gazprom.
Gazprom is also a Champions League sponsor, and UEFA is under pressure to cut ties with them. They have sponsored the competition since 2012 and are majority owned by the Russian government.
Their decision is the most recent as a result of the Russian invasion, and it was previously decided that this year's Champions League final would not be held in Russia.
It has been relocated to Paris after UEFA confirmed that St Petersburg will no longer host the event.
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with troops attacking from the north, east, and south, causing massive damage to military installations and civilian casualties.
Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City lead the way into next month's second leg ties, while Manchester United is level with Atletico Madrid.
The Champions League final will now be held at Paris' Stade de France, which last hosted the event 16 years ago when Barcelona defeated Arsenal.
'The UEFA Executive Committee held an extraordinary meeting today as a result of the grave escalation of the security situation in Europe,' said a UEFA statement on Friday.
'The UEFA Executive Committee has decided to move the 2021-22 UEFA Men's Champions League final from Saint Petersburg to the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.' The game will take place on Saturday, May 28 at 9 p.m. CET, as originally scheduled (8pm BST).
Comments
Post a Comment